The Power of the Mighty Sidhe
by nantasyland
Summary: Set during and immediately after Episode 6 in Season 3, "The Changeling." Merlin faces the anger of the Sidhe for killing the Sidhe Elder. As punishment for his crime, Merlin is given a fateful choice. What price must he pay to save Arthur and his destiny?
1. Chapter 1

The Power of the Mighty Sidhe

Chapter 1

The town of Camelot is dark and silent at the hour just before midnight as Beann moves quickly through the streets following the Elder's lead. Only the occasional lighted window illuminates the night as they pass by. They make their way over the drawbridge and through the gate silently, unseen. Two guards, lulled by the quiet night and warming their hands on a brazier, do not see them as they pass.

There is more light from the torches in sconces that flicker in the courtyard in front of the citadel, but no one is stirring. Here they separate, the Elder to find the physician's quarters where he's been told that the serving boy, Merlin, resides. "_That is,_" Beann thinks, "_if we can trust the pixie_." Pixies are known for misleading others.

But the pixie has apparently served faithfully all these years, watching over Beann's sister Leanan, who is trapped in the body of the human, keeping her safe and well with the golden dust. When the human marries the prince, Leanan will be free and will ultimately become queen of Camelot. But earlier tonight, the pixie had come to the lake to speak to the Elder and warned him of the problem: Arthur's serving boy Merlin knows that the princess is a changeling. With the wedding set for the next day, they needed to move quickly to ensure that nothing prevented the union from taking place.

The Elder has gone to take care of the troublesome serving boy Merlin, while Beann enters the citadel to find the pixie, and find her sister. She flits quickly from room to room until she finds the chambers where the princess sleeps. All appears to be well, and Beann relaxes. She stills her movements, and perches on the edge of a chair near the window to sleep.

The sun the next morning is dazzling, and it lights up the princess's chambers. Beann is startled awake by sound of the human girl pacing back and forth in her room. "I can't walk in these shoes," the girl whines, unheard by the pixie who is standing at the open door talking to someone out in the corridor. Beann hides herself in the sunbeam streaming through the open window. In a few more hours her sister Leanan will wed Prince Arthur of Camelot, although the prince believes his marriage is with Princess Elena, the human in whom Leanan now dwells. How easily these foolish humans have been deceived. They seem to think they can make their own destiny.

Beann waits and watches as the human princess fretfully moves about her chambers. The pixie excuses herself and leaves the rooms on an ill-defined errand, but the girl is so distracted that she doesn't notice. Beann glances out the window and she can see the courtiers, knights and ladies starting to converge on the citadel heading to the throne room for the ceremony. The marriage of the crown prince is a joyful event that all will celebrate. There is an air of festivity in the people as they gather, all dressed in their best.

Her attention is drawn from the window by a disturbance in the hallway outside the princess's chambers. She hears the pixie's voice call out, "you'd better be ready for me, first!" A loud crash and a shout follow.

Just then, an elderly man in a dark red robe rushes into the room. "I've brought you a tonic to calm your nerves," he says to the princess, who sits on the end of bed.

"Oh no!" Beann thinks. She recognizes the ruby red potion in the small vial the old man gives to the girl; it's the potion that the witches of Marador perfected to drive out a fairy residing within a changeling. Beann realizes that the old man intends to force her sister out of the girl. He hands the vial to the princess. Silently, Beann conveys her thoughts to her sister to compel the girl to resist. And the girl stops as she lifts the vial to her mouth.

"I wish my mother were here." She says.

At the sound of another crash in the hallway, Beann skirts around the side of the room to make her way to the door unseen. She slips out into the corridor through the gap between the bottom of the door and the floor. The humans in the room don't notice her light as she flits by.

In the corridor she sees a gangly young man with dark hair wielding a Sidhe staff, its blue stone glowing. He holds it out and with a shout forces its magic toward the pixie. Beann wails as the pixie crumbles into a pile of golden dust with small black particles on the floor of the corridor.

The young man grabs the door handle wrenching open the door to the princess's room. The girl and the old man are seated next to each other at the foot the bed; she still hasn't downed the potion. Before Beann can react, the young man hands off the staff to the older man, grabs the vial of potion and, tilting up the girl's head holding her nose, empties the vial into her mouth. "Elena," he says, "this is going to make you feel a whole lot better."

"_NO_!" Beann screams in her head, as the girl tumbles back on the bed and the fairy is driven from her body. Beann, keening with grief and pain, sees Leanan's light rise into the air above the bed, only to be killed by a blast of power thrown from the staff by the young man. He's killed the pixie; and now he's killed Leanan. He is a murderer. He has destroyed her sister and the future of a Sidhe Queen of Camelot.

She follows the murderer as he races out of the room with the staff in his hand, keeping her distance, but keeping him in sight. He makes his way through the corridor and down the stairs to the doors leading to the grand staircase above the courtyard. Once in the courtyard he turns to the right to enter the castle through a side door. 'Court Physician' she reads on a sign posted on the wall near a steep staircase. She slips inside the main chamber unnoticed and sees him coming down a short flight of steps without the staff and quickly leaving the room. But what captures her attention is the silvery dust motes floating in the air and settling on the floor. All at once she knows: the murderer has also killed the Sidhe Elder. He must be brought back to the lake and face Sidhe justice for his crimes. She stills her wings, slows her movements and assumes a human form, knowing that this is how she must appear to capture the killer.

Beann leaves the physician's chambers in her human shape, that of a beautiful young woman with silvery blond hair in a white and silver gown, holding a staff with a pale blue stone at the top. She heads outside into the courtyard and follows the crowd to the throne room.

After the Prince's confession that he does not love the Princess and after the wedding guests depart, Beann follows the serving boy, the murderer Merlin. She doesn't want to lose sight of him before she can bring him back to Avalon with her to face the anger of the Sidhe. She's returned to her natural state. She will watch and wait.


	2. Chapter 2

The Power of the Mighty Sidhe

Chapter 2

The next morning, after the departure of Lord Godwin and Princess Elena, Merlin follows Arthur up the grand staircase into the castle. Beann watches the two young men enter the castle and follows behind. At the top of the stairs she looks through the glass in the door and sees the young prince starting to bound up the stairs inside to speak to a young woman with dark curly hair in a pink overskirt and bodice. Merlin the murderer starts to follow his master.

Beann takes on human form again just outside the doors at the top of the grand staircase and calls to him softly, "Merlin."

He turns to his left and exits through the door at the sound of his name. He sees a young woman standing there near the door. The sunshine is so bright that she dazzles. She is tall and slender with long light blond hair dressed in a silvery white gown, holding a staff with a glowing blue stone at the top. She reaches out to touch Merlin's hand as he walks out through the door. He shudders at the spark of magic he feels, warm through the sleeve of his jacket and tunic. He is drawn to her. She looks into his blue eyes with her silver ones. He gazes back.

"Come with me," she says. "To the lake."

"Yes." With her hand still on his, he doesn't question her. He walks with her down the stairs into the courtyard.

The knights and courtiers who had gathered to see Lord Godwin and his retinue off have dispersed. A few of the knights linger, slowly making their way to the armory, to the training fields, or to complete their afternoon chores. Leon, passing through the shade of the portico off to the side sees them as they pass.

"Merlin, where are you going?" Leon calls out.

"To the lake," he answers dreamily, gazing into Beann's eyes.

"Wait, Merlin." Leon signals his squire Aurelius to continue on, while he follows Merlin. "What lake? Does Arthur know?"

"Arthur?" Merlin says. "He's inside." He smiles at Beann as they continue through the gate out of the citadel. She keeps her hand on his, guiding him along with her. Leon stands in the sunlight his hand shading his eyes, watching Merlin and the woman walk through the gate holding hands.

xXx

Arthur is still grinning as he continues on his way up the stairs to the landing with the griffon statue after his conversation with Gwen. He is relieved that Lord Godwin and Princess Elena have left Camelot on amicable terms. He knows that in stopping the hand fasting he ran the risk of alienating his father's friend – and ally to Camelot – for good. He didn't love Elena. Neither of them deserved to acquiesce to a loveless marriage just to please their fathers. Now he's free again to love where he chooses. He thinks back on his quick teasing conversation with Guinevere and grins again. He'd told her "only time will tell" as to whether he will find someone to love. She'd nodded and smiled as she continued down the stairs. He gives a joyful hop and skip at the top, before turning to the right to the corridor to reach his chambers.

Thinking Merlin is following him, he says smiling, without turning around, "for once, I think you were right, Merlin. People should marry for love. My father loved my mother, I want that as well."

When he gets no response, he adds with a smirk, "Merlin? Did you not hear what I said? I said you were right. Nothing to say?"

He turns his head around to look over his shoulder at Merlin, but he's not there. "Merlin?" he calls out, walking back to the stairway to see where he is. There is no sign of him.

He stops a passing servant heading down the stairs. "Have you seen my manservant?"

"No, Sire, not since this morning." She bobs a curtsy as she sweeps by. He continues onto his room to change his clothing for the afternoon's training exercises, puzzled by Merlin's sudden disappearance.

xXx

When Merlin and Beann reach the lake, she holds out her staff over the water and opens the gates to Avalon. A coracle appears, and he and Beann climb aboard. As the too-small boat dips with their weight when they board, Beann's hand falls from Merlin's. He jerks up, startled, and looks around in a panic. She reaches out and takes his hand in hers. He calms again and gazes at her silver eyes. The boat disappears into the mist.

After a few moments, the boat reaches an island in the middle of the lake. Beann stands, and leads Merlin out of the boat, still holding his hand. Standing on the shore, she calls out. "I am Beann Sidhe, and I request a trial before the council of Sidhe Elders to bring this murderer to justice."

Then time . . . slows . . . down. The small breakers lapping the shore from the disturbance of the coracle's passage slow to a gentle wave. The rustling leaves in the trees on the shoreline still. The flickering silver blue lights resolve themselves into small winged beings. Merlin can see the Sidhe in their natural form.

The Sidhe Elder stretches out his hand and Merlin is confined within a glowing silver cage. He can see and hear. When Beann drops his hand he awakens to his peril, looking around frantically. He can reach his hand through the cage, but cannot break it. He releases his magic to try to overcome the magic of the cell around him. The delicate bars of his cage pulse silver and gold with each onslaught of his magic, but he cannot break free.

"What has this mortal done?" the Elder asks.

"This human, this Merlin, has killed the pixie, the Elder, and my sister." Beann's voice cracks as she says this. "He has murdered our kind in cold blood."

"Wait. What?" Merlin stammers. "I didn't want to kill anyone."

"Do you deny it?" the Elder demands.

"He cannot. He has a Sidhe staff that he deliberately used to kill. I saw him use it. I saw him kill," Beann states looking at the Elder.

"I had to protect Arthur. I didn't want to kill anyone." Merlin says in a panic, still struggling to escape the silvery cell holding him. "I was defending myself. I had to. I have to keep him safe."

"Where did you get the staff?" another Elder asks.

"At the lake, years ago. They were going to kill Arthur. I had to save him, so I took it."

"Who?"

"Aulfric. Sophia. She was using Arthur as a sacrifice for her own life of immortality."

"Ah, yes. I remember," the first Elder says. "Aulfric was denied immortality as punishment for killing another Sidhe. But his daughter would have been welcomed back, with the sacrifice." He looks around at the other Elders and hovering Sidhe, then back to Merlin. "So, you killed them as well?"

Merlin looks around anxiously at the Sidhe fluttering around him, their wings glowing silver blue. "It was the only thing I could do! Arthur was drowning in the lake. I had to save him."

"You see, Majesty? He has confessed." Beann looks at Merlin with anger in her eyes. "You must pay dearly for your crimes."

The new Sidhe Elder nods at her in agreement. He looks around at the other Elders, appearing to think for a few moments. He nods again, and points his staff at Merlin trapped in the magical cage. "As his punishment for fairies he's killed, we will punish Camelot. If we cannot have a Sidhe Queen in Camelot, we will take its prince."

"_Arthur, no!"_ Merlin thinks involuntarily.

"Yes," the Elder says. "Arthur. He must die. Now."

"No! Please take me instead!" Merlin reaches out with his magic again to try to overpower the spell holding him in the sliver cage. One of the Elders scowls at him and the silver glow of the bars intensifies.

"We cannot. Your punishment is to be the one left behind."

"Please. I will do anything," Merlin begs. He struggles anew against the binding magic that holds him in place, panting from the effort. "Please, not Arthur. He is The Once and Future King! He cannot die now. He has to fulfill his destiny."

Beann and the Elders exchange a look. "The prophecies," she whispers.

"Very well. I will set you a task," the Elder concedes. "If you complete it in time, then I will offer you a choice that will allow you to save your prince."


	3. Chapter 3

The Power of the Mighty Sidhe

Chapter 3

"What is this task?" Merlin looks from one Elder to another. He's given up struggling against the magic holding him in place. He knows that he will have to do this if Arthur is to fulfill his destiny. He will do whatever it takes.

"You have something that belongs to the Sidhe. You have used it to kill Sidhe. This is unacceptable."

"I'm sorry. I really didn't want to kill anyone. I had to, Arthur needed me. Please, I don't need it. I'll give it back to you. I don't even want it." Merlin starts to babble again. An Elder hovers in front of Merlin's face, holds up his staff, and pokes Merlin in the nose with it.

"Stop," he says. Merlin closes his mouth.

"You are going to return the staff that was stolen to where it belongs," the first Elder says.

'Where?"

"Tir Mor," The Elder says, "back where it came from. You have two days."

"That's not possible," Merlin sputters. I can't get there and back in two days."

"Beann will help you make it possible," the Elder says.

"Why should I help him?" Beann asks, striding forward to confront the Elder.

"You are his accuser. You are responsible for him." The Elder glares at her. "You will be the one to mete out his punishment."

xXx

Merlin has to go back to Camelot to retrieve the staff. Beann follows him, her fairy light bouncing above his head. He's relieved not to come across anyone who would delay him. He must hurry if he's to travel to Tir Mor and back in time. He crosses the courtyard, heading to the door leading to the stairs up to Gaius's chambers. He leads the way up the few steps into his own little room.

Merlin squints at the dancing ball of light and says, "it's hidden under here. I'll just get it and I'll be gone." Merlin crouches on the floor to reach into the floorboard beneath his bed.

Beann assumes human form and says, "You know I'm coming with you."

"I don't think so. I know you don't want to help me. You are my accuser." Merlin pulls out the staff from its hiding place, and looks at her.

"The prince is needed still," Beann says, making herself comfortable on Merlin's bed. "So, you need my help to save him."

"Why would you do that?"

"The prophecy." She waves her hand in the air and points at him. "There's more to you than I realized."

"Merlin? Who are you talking to up there?" Merlin hears Gaius's voice drifting up from the main chamber before the door opens and Gaius enters Merlin's room. Merlin blinks rapidly at the speed of Beann's transformation. Gaius doesn't notice her hidden up in the light refracted through the windowpanes above Merlin's desk.

"Just myself," Merlin laughs shakily.

"Why aren't you with Arthur?" Gaius asks, looking around the room suspiciously. "Weren't you going to assist him at training today, now that Lord Godwin and his retinue have gone?"

"Erm . . .Yes," Merlin says. "But there's something I have to do instead."

"What do you mean, Merlin?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Merlin." Gaius frowns. It's not like Merlin to skip off when he knows that Arthur is expecting him. Then he notices what Merlin is holding. "Where are you going with the Sidhe staff?"

"I can't tell you that either."

"When will you be back?" Gaius is frustrated at Merlin's evasive answers, worrying that the boy might be in some kind of trouble.

"I don't know."

"What should I tell Arthur?"

"Tell him I've gone to pick herbs or something," Merlin says as he leaves his room, clearly ending the conversation. Gaius follows him down the steps, his mouth open. As Merlin leaves his chambers, he closes it with a huff of frustration and a snap. He doesn't see Beann as she darts outside through the open window.

xXx

After changing his clothes and donning his chainmail by himself with some difficulty in his chambers, Arthur heads over to the armory. Others are there, preparing themselves for the training sessions, or getting ready to go out on patrol.

He asks Gaheris, one of the squires, to help him with his armor. "Thank you," he says as Gaheris expertly buckles the straps.

"Is there anything else you need, Sire?" Gaheris asks.

"I think I'm good," Arthur says, as he turns away to leave the room. He pauses his step. "Wait. Yes. There is. Would you please go look for Merlin?"

"Sire?"

"He's been gone long enough. Tell him I need a training dummy. And he's going to be it."

"Yes, Sire," Gaheris laughs. "He can certainly do that." Gaheris heads off to go to Gaius's chambers as the first obvious place to seek out Merlin.

xXx

Beann is waiting for Merlin in the deep shade of the portico when he clatters down the stairs from Gaius's chambers. "And how were you planning to get there?" she says, continuing their interrupted conversation.

"I'm going to borrow a horse," Merlin answers, looking around to see if they're observed. No one is around. "There's no other way," he adds.

"Yes, there is. Take my hand."

He does, she taps her staff on the ground twice, and they're off. He glances down as they rise in an air current above the courtyard. He sees Gaheris followed by Arthur emerging from the armory, moving very, very slowly. Everyone is moving so slowly. And then Camelot is behind them as they race over fields and forests, heading to Tir Mor, on the southern sea.

Moments later, it seems to Merlin, their journey ends abruptly as they fall awkwardly onto a wide sweep of meadow tilting upward to a headland overlooking the sea. They sit sprawling on the vibrantly green grass, Beann shaking and panting from exertion.

"Are you all right?" Merlin asks.

She nods hesitantly and says, "it wasn't an easy trip."

"I'm sorry," he says. "Next time, tell me how to help."

She nods again, as her breathing slows to normal. "Why did you agree to do this task? You could have let us take Arthur. You would have been safe."

"Maybe. But you see, my magic is for Arthur. Only for Arthur." He looks at her steadily, his eyes imploring her to believe, to understand. "I need to protect him so he can become king and restore magic to Albion. Then we'll all be free."

"How can you be so sure that he will change anything?" Beann looks at him, honestly curious. She knows that the Sidhe have suffered from the human's fear of magic in the mortal kingdoms. The places where they can live safely and peacefully have been reduced to Avalon and scattered mounds because of the expansion of human habitation and the Sidhe's own need for secrecy. They too would benefit from a return of magic to the lands. Could it be possible that this mortal prince will be able to do it? She can feel Merlin's magic vibrate with his own hope and belief.

"It will happen. I'm sure of it. It's destiny."

"Does your prince know of this magical destiny?"

Merlin looks down and studies his hands. "No," he answers softly.

She shakes her head to clear it, and focus back on the task at hand.

"You'll have to make your own way from here to finish your journey," she tells him, pointing up the hill. "I will wait for you."

The Elder had described a cave on a small island directly below the promontory. The island can be reached only at low tide when a sand bar is exposed. The staff has to be returned to the cave.

Merlin picks up the staff from the ground where it landed when they fell from the sky and starts walking up the incline to the headland. At the top, he was told, were the remains of an ancient fortress, carved into the side of the bluff overlooking the sea. From there, he will need to climb down the ledges to reach the water and find the cave. He walks up the gentle slope, without any trees or other landmarks, the top seems never to get any closer. He keeps up a steady pace and eventually reaches what appears to be a half buried stone wall, sloping downward to the left, leading his eye to the sea below.

He sits for a moment to rest, and wishes he had brought his water skin with him when he left Gaius's chambers. He's not convinced that he will be able to complete this task in time, though he's grateful for Beann's help, as surprising as it was. If he doesn't make it back in time, Arthur's life is forfeit. He is certain that the angry Sidhe will carry out their threat immediately. This thought alone is enough to spur him again to move, and move quickly to climb the headland to the hillfort at the top, from there to descend to the sea. He reaches the top with the abandoned fortress. It's a rectangular structure hidden on the top of the headland, and almost invisible under the long grasses that have taken over the fallen stones.

The view of the open sea is expansive. Merlin takes a deep breath of the fresh wind that blows in. He looks around the seaward edge of the hill fort to locate a pathway down over the ledges. He finds a break in the ancient stone wall, and follows it to the edge. He levers himself down to the next ledge of the fort, planning his descent. It's slow going, clambering down the rocks, and even more difficult with the staff in one hand. As he nears the water, the rocks and ledges become even more treacherous and slippery from the sea spray. Carefully, he makes his way down to a spit of sand at the bottom. It's not exactly low tide, but he can see the sand bar leading to the small island, the water lapping at its sides. He runs across the length of the sand bar to the island, and looks around for the cave.

He starts to circle the small island and finally sees the entrance to the cave on the seaward side. This side of the island has only tumbled rocks where the relentless water has washed away sand and dirt. He clambers, sliding awkwardly over the slippery rocks. The sea spray hits his face and stings his eyes with each pull of the water. He pauses for a moment at the entrance of the cave to adjust his eyes to the dimness within.

When he enters the cave under the hilltop fortress, he plants the staff firmly into the slot from where it had been stolen. When the staff hits the rocky floor of the cave, the jewel in the staff glows from blue to silver, releasing its magic, changing the direction of the tide.

The tide surges into the cave, sweeping Merlin off his feet and slamming him against the far wall, gasping and spitting the salty water. As it starts to withdraw, he feels himself being drawn out with it, powerless in the grip of the water as it pulls him down under the surf. Despair consumes him. "_Arthur_!" he screams in his mind. "_Oh, gods, I've failed! They're going to kill Arthur_." The only thing between him and the open sea outside the cave is the staff he had just planted in the floor of the cave. He looses his magic desperately to find it and grab it before he is torn from the cave in the surging water to drown, battered against the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. His hand finds it under the water, and he grabs it, pulling himself to hold on to it as the water swirls in again over his head.


	4. Chapter 4

The Power of the Mighty Sidhe

Chapter 4

Arthur picks his head up sharply and looks around to see who called him. No one there but Leon standing next to him intently watching the squires and knights sparring. He catches sight of Gaheris in the distance approaching the training field from the citadel gate. "So where is he?" Arthur impatiently shouts out to Gaheris as he walks out onto the field.

"Gaius said he sent Merlin to pick herbs," Gaheris says as he nears Arthur and Leon.

"Pick herbs," Arthur repeats, shaking his head. He signals to Gaheris to join the other squires in their practice exercises.

After Gaheris walks away Leon says, still watching the squires, "oh? No, Sire. I saw Merlin not too long ago. He was walking through the courtyard with a beautiful young woman."

"Merlin?" Arthur asks incredulously. "With a woman? Where was he going?"

Leon glances at Arthur and nods yes, a woman. "He said he was going to the lake. They walked out of the citadel hand in hand." Arthur looks at Leon with a raised eyebrow. "He looked rather dreamy-eyed, if you ask me." Arthur and Leon share a laugh.

"Well, I've got to see this!" Arthur chortles. "If he's not back by the time we're done with training, let's go find him at the lake and see for ourselves this girl who has enchanted our Merlin."

xXx

The water recedes again, and Merlin is left gasping for air before the next onslaught. He clings to the staff with his arms and legs wrapped around it as the water batters the interior of the cave relentlessly. His eye catches the writing on the staff in the language of the old religion. "To hold life and death in your hands," Gaius had said it meant. Merlin focuses his magic on that phrase, and thinks, "_I will not die here. If I hold life and death in my hands, then I choose life_." It's the only way he can save Arthur's. His eyes glow gold with power, and he removes one of his hands from the staff. He raises his hand out in front, palm forward, spreading his fingers wide. The water calms and the tide turns back draining from the cave.

He leaves the cave and staggers around to the spit of sand under the cliff. He bends down and picks up a seashell, putting it in his pocket. He climbs back up the cliff face the way he had come down, soaking wet but breathing, just breathing with relief.

He walks down the green slope to Beann, who is waiting where he had left her, dozing in the sunshine. She opens her eyes and smiles when he collapses next to her. "You did it? You did, didn't you?" she says, grinning.

He grins back, and swipes his wet hair back off his forehead. "Yeah, I did."

xXx

Beann is in in her human form again when they arrive back at Avalon, with a smoother landing this time. Merlin reaches into his pocket to pull out the seashell he had picked up on the spit of sand on the little island. He holds it out to show the Elder. "It is done," he says.

With a nod, the Elder indicates his acceptance of Merlin's gift of the shell from the sea and motions to Beann to take it from Merlin. She fills the shell with water from the lake and the Elder can scry that the staff is now once again secure in the cave on the island under the ancient fortress on the cliff.

"Well, young mortal man, you have succeeded," the Elder says. He looks around at the others hovering in the air nearby and nods. "You have earned the right to decide your fate."

Merlin stands, shivering in his wet clothes on the shore of the isle in the middle of the Lake of Avalon, once again captive in the silver cage of Sidhe magic. "Thank you," Merlin says. "All I want is to save the life of the prince."

"Yes, but it will come at a awful cost. Are you prepared?" Merlin nods uncertainly, unable to speak, holding his breath.

"Here is your choice, Merlin: You can lose your prince or lose your magic."

Merlin gasps and staggers as if hit with a physical blow, stunned. "No, please! Not that! The prince must live! I need my magic to protect him."

Merlin looks around frantically, but the Elders wait patiently, impassive.

"Beann, please! You understand why." She looks at him with pity. The Elders had made their offer. They are unmoved by his pleas. He bows his head in surrender, and chooses to give up his magic.

"So be it," the Elder nods to Beann and gestures to her. "Proceed."

She moves to face him reluctantly. "Merlin, I'm sorry." Beann takes Merlin's face in both her hands. "Close your eyes," she tells him softly. He is still held by the magical bonds of the Sidhe, and cannot move away. He trembles at the magnitude of what is going to happen to him. He is afraid.

She raises her face to his and gently places her lips on his, and kisses him. Their magic meets with their lips. It swirls around them, his gold and the Sidhe silver twining wildly. He feels the power of the Sidhe magic. His own magic thrums within, growing, absorbing the magic offered by the Sidhe. At the moment their magic joins, visions, sounds and scenes, flash through Merlin's mind. "_Have faith_," he hears himself say looking at Arthur, who appears to be glowing in the shaft of sunlight piercing through the canopy of trees in the forest, as he reaches out his hand to pull a sword from a stone . . . he sees the lake, a small coracle fading into the mist of Avalon with the island in the distance, and hears inconsolable sobbing with Beann Sidhe's quiet keening echoing profound grief . . . he sees an old, old man walking down an empty path along the lake, when suddenly a large blue noise whizzes by, splashing up dirty water from a puddle. He hears Beann call out, "Emrys," as she breaks the kiss; he knows she'd seen his visions as well.

As Beann lifts her lips from his, dropping her hands, she gasps, whispering, "You are Emrys. You will be the one left behind."

He falls bonelessly to the ground, freed of the magical bonds that had held him. Behind his closed eyelids, his eyes glow with a golden silver light. His magic pulses within, stronger with an endless energy.

Beann sinks to her knees to crouch near him, and touches his forehead. Slowly he opens his eyes, silver gold fading to blue. "You are Emrys," she repeats, awed.

"That is what the Druids call me," he mumbles, dazed and overwhelmed by the power of the magic he's experienced. He sits up slowly, fighting his dizziness and nausea.

"I cannot take your magic away, Emrys. You are magic." She looks at him, stunned by the power she sensed. "I am sorry, but I fear that I have given you a terrible gift."

Merlin looks at her with his eyebrows raised in a question. What does this matter? Arthur's life has been spared; he still has his magic. "What?" he says finally. She looks at him with pity.

"Immortality."

xXx

Immediately after training, Arthur, Leon, and Aurelius pick up horses at the stables and mount up to ride out to the lake. When they get there, they can see two sets of footprints leading to the shore, but they stop at water's edge. The lake is shrouded in mist and they cannot see anything far beyond the lakeshore. As they watch, a small boat comes silently out of the mist and approaches the shore, with Merlin sitting in it, bent over, with his forearms on his knees, head down. The boat glides in smoothly to the shore.

"Merlin!" Arthur calls out, teasing. "So where's the girl?"

"What girl?" Merlin says, looking up dazedly.

"The one Leon saw you with. You told him you were going to the lake."

"I have no one." He stands slowly when the coracle reaches the shore, and carefully steps out to clamber up onto the grass, to reach the three men on horseback.

"Why are you soaking wet?" Leon asks.

"What'd you do, fall into the lake, you clumsy idiot?" Arthur chimes in.

"What? No. . . Maybe?" Merlin looks confused. "I'm sorry I've been gone so long, Sire. There was something I had to do."

"No matter, it's only been a couple of hours." Arthur laughs.

"Yeah," adds Leon. "We'll be home in time for supper."

"Hop on up, Merlin," Aurelius says, bending over to lend Merlin a hand to mount his horse. "You can ride with me." And they turn their backs to the lake and ride back to Camelot, laughing in high spirits. Merlin glances back only once.

Merlin never does tell anyone about what happened at the lake. Who would even believe his encounter with the fairies? He's not even sure himself that it took place at all. It was all so dreamlike. But when he looks beneath the floorboard in his room under his bed, the Sidhe staff is no longer there.

END


	5. Chapter 5

The Power of the Mighty Sidhe

Epilogue

When he and Gaius destroyed the Manticore, Uther's life was saved from the latest in a long line of outside magical threats to the kingdom. But just now, the threat was from within Camelot. Morgana is becoming consumed by hatred, not only of Uther – her father! – but of her friends.

Was the dragon right? Should he have let her die from the injury he caused trying to prevent fulfillment of the vision of her murdering Uther that he had in the Crystal Cave? Instead, he had commanded Kilgarrah to give him the spell to save her life, just because he couldn't bear to see the others suffer at the thought of losing her. She was loved, and he thought saving her then was the right thing to do: she would feel their love and love in return.

And yet, rather than love, her hatred grew. She still tried to kill Uther, and now she has betrayed Arthur and Gwen. Morgana had suggested to Arthur that he pursue his feelings for Gwen, and then made sure that Uther found them together. A poultice planted in Arthur's bed planted confirmation in Uther's mind that Gwen was an enchantress. Gwen had been sentenced to death for sorcery because of Morgana's duplicity.

Merlin's crazy scheme of using an aging spell and then take the accusation of sorcery on himself almost backfired and consigned him to the flames. If Gaius hadn't concocted that blue aging spell reversal potion in time, he would have been faced with a more difficult choice. Escape using magic and revealing his secret, or die by fire. He'd made his escape running through the crowd into the citadel to down the potion unseen and become himself again, making the old man seemingly vanish into thin air.

Arthur was furious when he came upon Merlin in the corridor during his pursuit of the old sorcerer. Mucking out the stables as ordered by Arthur, as punishment for what Arthur thought was a day at the tavern and then letting the sorcerer pass by is a small price to pay, although a bit unfair. But, it's not as if he hasn't done this many times before, and the menial task allows him the time to reflect on his narrow escape. Thinking back on the confrontation in the council chambers, he does feel a private glee that he was able to speak a piece of his mind. He smirks to himself. Uther _is_ a stupid arrogant old tyrant. And this senseless punishment just proves his point that Arthur mistreats his servants.

But when will the cycles of fear, hatred and retribution end? He's glad that this incident is over so that life can return to normal in Camelot. Gwen is safe, Arthur will continue to hide his love for her, and Merlin can get back to work, and follow his destiny.

Merlin finishes up his chores, puts away the rake and shovel, and gives young Tyr Seward a wave goodbye as he leaves the stables. He's eager to get back to his chambers to clean up and ask Gaius why Arthur seemed to think that he had spent the day at the tavern. He has his suspicions.

* * *

A/N: This adventure continues in "The Empath" by Nantasyland


End file.
